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Rape of nun brings women's rights back to the forefront in India

A novice nun was attacked and gang raped for a week in India. The motive appears to be revenge. The attack is the latest in a string of high-profile offenses against women in the world's second most populous country.

NEW DELHI, INDIA (Catholic Online) - A 22-year-old novice nun was lured to a train station by her cousins, kidnapped, then gang raped for a week by her captors. According to the young woman, the motive was revenge because they blame her for their father's murder.

According to the victim, she was taken from a train station in Chennai in Tamil Nadu, and taken to a nearby village. She was held captive for a week and gang raped during that period. After a week, they returned her to the station, ordering her not to report the incident.

Her cousins, identified as Jotindra Sobhasundar, 30, and Tukuna Sobhasundar, 28, along with a third unidentified suspect were arrested in a series of raids. Police also detained and questioned the victim's brother because he may have killed one of the rape suspects before police could arrest them.

The attacks happened between July 5 and 11.

The Catholic Bishop's Conference of India has condemned the attacks, including both the rape of the victim and the murder of one of the perpetrators. The Conference referred to the attacks as emotional terrorism.

The attack on the nun came to light after it became known that four girls ages 12 to 14, were abducted from a hostel and raped by no less than 20 armed men.

The case comes following a high profile, international case where another woman died after being gang raped on a bus. That case gained international attention and sparked massive public protests across the country.

The latest incidents have brought protesters out once more who say the country and its culture of silence, particularly in conservative districts, is destructive to women and violates human rights. The Indian Parliament has taken steps to strengthen its laws, but as expected, those laws may not go quote far enough as these outrages persist.